DAVENPORT, Iowa — Davenport’s Credit Island Lodge was severely damaged in a 2013 fire. In March 2015, the lodge was renovated and reopened. This year, the reconstruction project received two awards.
The Iowa Chapter of the American Public Works Association named the restoration the Project of the Year in the Disaster/Emergency Reconstruction/ Repair category between $1 million and $2.5 million. The project was also awarded the first place Grand Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Iowa in its annual Engineering Excellence competition, which judges upon innovation, complexity, achievement and value.
The lodge’s reconstruction was designed by the engineering firm Stanley Consultants out of Muscatine, Iowa.
From their release:
After the decision to save the lodge, the primary challenge surrounding the reconstruction was how to rebuild the large facility with a limited budget while addressing persistent flooding concerns. The solution was to let the floodwaters flow through the building. An innovative vent system allows flood waters to pass through its first floor, which is made of water impervious materials, allowing for easy cleanup after the water recedes.
The limited budget focused on reuse and cleaning in public access areas. Fire-damaged joists above the community room were removed, opening up the interior as a two-story light-filled atrium. The fireplace was extended floor to ceiling to become the room’s focal point. The March 2015 grand reopening showcased a much improved facility.